1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to measuring both the local height and angular inclination of a test surface, and, more particularly, to making such measurements simultaneously using the reflection of a laser beam off the test surface.
2. Background Information
Conventional methods use a reflected laser probe to determine the height of a sample surface, while other methods use a reflected laser probe to determine the angular inclination of a sample surface. Generally, conventional methods for determining height ignore the tilt, or angular inclination, of the sample surface, allowing such tilt, if it is present, to contribute an error to the height measurement. Conventional methods determining the tile ignore variations in the height of the sample surface, allowing such variations, if they are present, to contribute an error to the tilt measurement.
What is needed is a simple method for simultaneously measuring both height and tilt of a sample surface from which a laser beam is reflected. Such a method should be simple, both in the setup procedures required, and in the form in which data is developed within the device.